


Small Spaces

by freefallfornow



Category: IT, Reddie - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:55:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21966043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freefallfornow/pseuds/freefallfornow
Relationships: Reddie - Relationship
Kudos: 5





	1. Introduction

“Richie.” A voice called, sounding like it was coming from down stairs, startling him awake. He sat up quickly looking around the room. He waited to hear if his mom would call his name again, hoping that was what he had actually heard, but he waited and didn’t hear her so he looked at the time on his phone.

3am. of *course* it was 3am. Richie found this kind of funny in a sadistic sort of way. of course he would think he heard someone saying his name at the witches hour.

He tossed and turned for about an hour before he decided to get up and get a drink. he stood up and put on his slippers, know that the kitchen floor would be cold.

he walked into the kitchen, leaving all the lights off since his eyes were adjusted to the dark. he grabbed a glass from the cupboard and started filling it at the refrigerator, rubbing his eyes and yawning. He lifted his foot and realized he was stepping in something sticky. he stepped back and looked down at the floor.

he flipped on the light switch to get a better look at what it was. what looked like blood pooled on the floor, it ran down the front of the fridge, pouring from the tap built into the door of the fridge. lines of red liquid streamed down the white door forming lines that read, “pennywise was here :)” in messy runny letters. Richie looked at his glass which was full of the same red liquid that was running down the fridge.

Horrified, Richie let the glass slip out of his hand and *crash* on the floor. he jumped back, luckily avoiding getting cut by the glass. he swore under his breath and ran out of the kitchen to grab a towel.

“Richie? Is everything okay?” His dad asked from the top of the stairs, his mother peaking around him. They both looked relieved to see that it was just their son and not a robber. “Yeah i accidentally dropped a glass, i’m sorry.” He said quickly, sounding totally freaked out. “Oh, honey are you okay?” His mom asked, pushing past her husband to get to her son. “Yeah yeah i’m fine. i didn’t get hurt it just freaked me out a little.” He lied and his mom took the towel from him. “I’ll dry it up, you get the broom okay?” She asked and the patted him on the head. “Yeah sure.” Richie said and did what she said.

He was relieved when he went back into the kitchen to find the fridge spotless and the liquid soaking the towel to just be water. “Are you sure you’re okay Honey? What were you doing up anyways?” His mom asked after they finished cleaning up the mess. “I’m okay i just thought i heard a dog or something outside.” He shrugged, hoping that would convince her. “I didn’t hear anything.” She frowned. “You’re a heavy sleeper.” He said and she shrugged as well. “Try to get some sleep you have school tomorrow.” She said and pulled him into a hug.

“RICHIE TOZIER! WAKE UP!” Mrs. Tozier hollered from the kitchen, startling him awake. he groaned and rolled over, face first into the pillow. He slept like shit after everything that happened just a few hours ago. “I think someone is moving in with the Uris’s.” she yelled and Richie rolled back over, confused. who would be moving in with Stan?

He went downstairs to see what his mom was talking about. “I think it’s just that boy. He can’t be any younger than 16.” She said and Richie watched out the window, seeing the small boy with the fanny pack talk to his best friend. “Do you know him?” She asked and Richie told her no. “Well, go introduce yourself. If he’s living with Stanley you’ll probably see him a lot.” She said and Richie sighed.

Richie got ready for school and walked his bike across the street, just like he did everyday, so him and Stan could ride to school together and meet up with Bill Denbrough on the way. Stan didn’t have his bike with him this morning, he just stood with the new boy, who was nervously fiddling with the straps to his book bag.

“What’s up, Stan the man?” Richie asked and hopped on his bike. “You look like shit.” Stan said and watched Richie ride around the two of them in a circle. ”You wish you could look this good this early in the morning.” Richie said and dramatically pushed his curls off his forehead.

“This is Eddie, he’s moving in with me.” Stan said and gestured to the stack of boxes sitting on the porch, waiting to be brought in. “Eddie, this is Trashmouth Tozier.” Stan said and Richie gave the small boy his best smile. “What kind of name is that?” Eddie asked. The first thing Richie noticed was his puffy eyes. He either cried recently or has really bad allergies. “Call me Richie.” He said and stopped his bike.

“Where’s your bike Stan?” He asked and Stan shrugged, “I’m not riding it today. I don’t want Eddie to walk alone.” Richie was very aware of the other boy watching him on his bike. Richie assumed he didn’t have one. “I’ve got another one in the garage if you want to use it.” He suggested, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the garage. “No, thank you. do you know how easily you can get hurt on one of those things?” Eddie asked, shaking his head.

“What are you, chicken?” Richie asked, flapping his arms and making chicken noises. “That’s not funny.” The other boy said, crossing his arms over his chest. “C’mon Eds, i’m just messin with ya.” Richie said, starting to ride in a circle again. “It’s Eddie.” He said, already annoyed with Richie Tozier. This was a first for Richie. Usually it took a good five minutes for someone to be annoyed with him.

“Alright! Come on now, lads!” Richie shouted in his best british accent, Eddie thought it was terrible but didn’t say anything.

Richie rode ahead of the other boys, riding dangerously just to see how Eddie would react. He swerved around potholes and made his bike jump on and off the sidewalk.

He got bored of it quick and started to wonder why Eddie was moving into Stan’s house and why he looked like he had been crying. Out of the corner of his eye something red caught his attention. As he turned his head to see what it was, Bill Denbrough yelled, “Richie!” Richie started at the sound and ending up toppling over.

Now on the ground tangled up in his bike Richie saw a red balloon floating up into the sky like someone had let it go. “Are you okay? See, i told you bikes are dangerous!” Eddie exclaimed, running over to help Richie up. “I’m okay. It’s your fault dickhead.” Richie said and punched Bill on the shoulder lightly. “S-Sorry man. W-What were you l-looking at?” He asked looking past him. “Nothing, I thought i saw something.” He shrugged and rubbed his elbow.

He swore when he noticed his elbow was bleeding from the impact onto the pavement. “Oh my god you’re bleeding! Wait i have bandaids!” Eddie said and opened up his fanny pack that seemed to be packed full. “I’m good i’ll just…” “No!” Eddie yelled when he tried to wipe his elbow with the bottom of his shirt.

Startled and a little confused, Richie stopped and watched the strange new boy clean his hands with hand sanitizer, then put first aid ointment and a bandaid on his scrape. “Thanks.” Richie said, not really sure what to say. “You’re welcome. i wouldn’t clean it with your shirt, it might get infected.” Eddie said and washed his hands with hand sanitizer again. Richie looked at Stan, asking him, “what the fuck?” with his facial expression. “Don’t ask.” Stan mouthed and shook his head.

Bill rode on his bike, which he named Silver. Hmm, i wonder why? The two of them rode next to each other, going slow so Stan and Eddie didn’t get too behind. Stan introduced Eddie to Bill, who had a hard time saying his name for the first because of his stutter. “Why d-did you m-move to D-D-Darry?” Bill asked Eddie, looking at him over his shoulder.

Eddie’s face dropped and Stan’s eyes went wide. It was obvious neither of them wanted to answer that question. “uh… my mom, she died. Stan’s parents adopted me, our moms were friends.” Eddie shrugged, like it was no big deal.

Neither of them knew what to say so they walk/rode in silence until they got to the school. “There’s B-Bev.” Bill said, Richie snickered at the light blush on his cheeks. “Oh B-Bev! Your hair is so beautiful!” Richie teased his friend. “Fuck off R-Richie.” Bill said and playfully punched him in his shoulder. “Oh you wanna fight Denbrough? I’ll kick your ass!” Richie laughed and pretended he was going to swing back.

Eddie flinched, violence made him uncomfortable, it also meant cuts and bruises, but worst of all, blood. “Quit it before someone thinks you’re actually fighting.” Stan said, more wanting them to stop for Eddie’s sake. Plus last time they did this Richie ended up in the nurses office with broken glasses and an accidental black eye.

“Hey guys.” Bev said, joining her friends at the bike rack. Richie listened to another introduction, knowing there would be two more once Mike and Ben caught up with them. “Welcome to The Losers Club, Eddie.” Bev smiled and Eddie knitted his eyebrows together. “The Losers Club?” Eddie asked and Stan went on to explain the origins of The Losers Club. “Wait he gets to join that easy?” Richie asked and locked his bike up. “He’s an honorary member.” Stan said and Eddie smiled lightly, happy to be included.

Richie sighed and clapped Eddie on the back and said, “Well then, Welcome to The Losers Club, Eds.” The smaller boy glared at him and said, “It’s Eddie.”


	2. losers club

The whole losers club had lunch together. Eddie was very aware of the fact he was at the losers table. He wasn’t sure if he really minded being considered a loser. he’d been at the school for half a day and he already had a group of friends thanks to Stan. He liked the losers, he definitely enjoyed their company. Being in a group of friends helped him not think of all the things he’d been so upset about lately. It felt nice not to think about his mother…

Eddie tried to think of anything but his mother. They hadn’t always had the… best relationship. One day when Eddie’s mom had sent him to the drugstore to pick up his new aspirator the pharmacist pulled him aside and explained to him that his aspirator was basically 90% water and he wasn’t, at all, sick. Eddie was shocked! How could his own mother lie to him like that? For awhile he didn’t believe her but if she laid on her deathbed, swearing up and down that he was sick… how could he not? Sick and dying, she told Eddie he was sick and she needed to protect him, she couldn’t leave him. No matter what Eddie said she insisted he was sick, her poor baby.

To tell you the truth, Eddie wasn’t really sure what he was sick with. Sure he had asthma but that wouldn’t kill him right? Anytime Eddie got a cold he would be 100% sure that this is how it ends. His mother was right, he’s sick. His body is weak and it can’t handle sickness! What if he caught the flu? or pneumonia? What were the winters like here? Could he get frostbite? What if someone at school got a virus? Oh, he would be sure to get it! Oh god what if he had to shower in the locker room?! Can you imagine what kind of fungus lives in there?

Eddie’s skin crawled thinking off all the possibilities of getting sick or infected in anyway.

Eddie sat next to Ben Hanscom and Mike Hanlon and listened to them talk about the history of Derry, Maine. He quit listening about halfway through, getting distracted. Richie Tozier was staring past Eddie’s shoulder. For a few minutes he thought Richie was staring at him but he noticed that wasn’t the case. He glanced over his shoulder, wondering what the other boy was staring at. All Eddie saw was a cafeteria full of teenagers. Nothing worth having your eyes locked on for more than thirty seconds.

“Are you okay?” Eddie asked Richie, who finally looked away from whatever it was he was staring at. “What? Yeah. I guess I zoned out listening to Haystack go on and on and on…” He repeated the last two words a few more times to emphasize his point. “Beep beep Richie.” Ben rolled his eyes. Eddie wasn’t so sure Richie was being honest but he knew well enough not to press the issue.

Richie has been laughing and chatting with his friends when he noticed something odd just over Eddie’s shoulder. He saw… a clown? What would a clown be doing in the school? Richie would never admit it but he was pretty scared of clowns, more like terrified.

This clown was big with strange orange hair. He wore a silvery suit with orange pom pom buttons. He sat there next to a girl he had never met. His long boney finger twirled a lock of her hair. He didn’t understand why the girl wasn’t reacting to this weird clown playing with her hair. “Beep beep Richie!” The clown shouted, loud enough for him to hear. “Are you okay?”

Eddie’s voice pulled him back into reality. He looked quickly back to the spot he had been looking at before. Now where the clown had sat, the seat sat there empty. The girl still sat in the same place, eating and talking to her friends. “What? Yeah. I guess i zoned out listening to Haystack go on and on and on…” Richie joked, not wanting anyone to think anything of him staring off. “Beep beep Richie.” Ben rolled his eyes.

Richie flinched a little. Usually it didn’t bother him when his friends beep beeped him but now that the clown had said it felt different.

Richie was suddenly very tired. The hours of sleep that he lost finally caught up with him. He just wanted to go home and lay in his bed.

“You’re all coming to my costume party right?” Stan asked his friends. “Costume party? You never told me anything about that.” Eddie said, frowning. “Oh, I must have forgot.” Stan shrugged. “Stan throws the best costume party in Derry.” Bev said and Stan smiled, proudly.

“Do I have to dress up?” Eddie asked, his mother never allowed him to dress up for Halloween or go trick or treating. He had no idea what he would dress up as. “Yes. You’re not allowed in if you’re not dressed up.” Stan said and Richie added, “Or if you wear a “this is my costume” shirt.” It didn’t surprise Eddie that Richie had tried that before. “But i live there!” Eddie protested and Stan shrugged. “You’ll have to stay outside.” Richie said and laughed at his own joke, Eddie realized he does that a lot… “That’s not even funny.” Eddie rolled his eyes. “That’s not even funny.” Richie mimicked back and stuck his tongue out at Eddie. Eddie could not *believe* someone could be as annoying as Richie Tozier.

“Does anyone have costume ideas yet?” Bev asked. “I want to be a zookeeper.” Stan said confidently, not reacting when Richie laughed at him. “A zookeeper?” Eddie asked, trying not to laugh. “Yeah. what’s so funny about it?” Stan asked giving Richie and Eddie both dirty looks. “Nothing.” Eddie said giggling a little. “I’m going to be Hermione Granger. Does anyone want to dress up in Hogwarts robes with me?” Bev asked and Ben and Bill both said, “I will.” at the same time.

“Bev could you do my makeup? I want to be a vampire.” Richie said and hissed at Mike like he was a vampire then pretended the sun was too bright even though they were indoors.“Yeah sure.” She shrugged and turned to Ben and Bill to discuss what houses the two of them would wear.

“E-Eddie what are y-you going to d-dress up as?” Bill asked and Eddie shrugged. “I don’t know i’ve never dressed up for halloween.” “No way.” Richie said, looking at Eddie shocked, all the other boy did was shrug again

“Eddie you should totally diy your first halloween costume.” Bev said but he wasn’t too sure that was a good idea. “We could go to the thrift shop and put something together.” Ben suggested and Eddie looked at him, disgusting. “You want me to wear someone else’s clothes?!” He asked and made a disgusted scoff. “Eddie is a germaphobe if you haven’t noticed.” Richie said and Eddie’s cheeks turned pink. “I am not!” Eddie protested, crossing his arms over his chest. “You so are! Have you even met yourself?” Richie asked with a laugh. “Fuck off, Richie.” Eddie rolled his eyes.

Stan changed the subject to keep Richie and Eddie from bickering with each other. He had a feeling this was going to happen a lot.


	3. Closet

Richie was so glad to be home.

Stan had invited him to hangout at his house but Richie just needed a nap. After the night before and his episodes today he just wanted to be alone in his room and take a nap. So he climbed into his bed and snuggled his extra pillow tight.

Eddie wasn’t tired but he laid in his bed anyways. Stan invited him to go bird watching but Eddie didn’t think that would be any fun. Plus he felt he could use some time alone.

Eddie laid in his bed and looked around his room. He tried his best to make it look just like it did back home. He put his pictures up the same way, made his bed the same way, arranged the clothes in his closet the same way but it just wasn’t the same. Sure it was all the same stuff but if was a different room in a different house. At home his room has carpet, this room had hardwood. His room has white walls, these walls were tinted yellow, eggshell. His window faced the back yard, this window faced the street. It was all wrong. This is where he lives now but it doesn’t feel like home. He still felt like he could get in a cab or on the bus and go home and find it to be the same.

He didn’t realize he was crying until he started breathing really heavy. He reached around for his inhaler but he couldn’t find it. He sat up, his breath catching in his throat. Where did he leave his inhaler? Usually he kept it in his pocket… but he didn’t want anyone to notice it at school so he kept it in his backpack. Backpack! Eddie dove off his bed and zipped open his backpack and tipped everything out of it. His chest felt heavy as he rummaged through everything until he finally got his hands on his inhaler.

Eddie squeezed the trigger on the aspirator and sucked in air. he laid on the floor gasping for air until he finally caught his breath. He felt a migraine beginning with a sharp pain behind his right eye. He stared at the ceiling, still panting a little. He noticed the ceiling lamp and how bright it made the room. He didn’t like how it hurt his eyes. He felt a sharp pain behind his eye, a migraine. he didn’t like this room. it was too bright, too wrong.

He didn’t want to look at the room anymore so he got up and turned off the lights but since it was still day nothing changed too much, just more shadows.

So Eddie did something he hadn’t done in a long time. He opened his closet door and got down an extra blanket. He wrapped himself up and sat in the corner of the closet after shutting the door behind him.

He sat in the dark and closed his eyes. In the quiet small little space it felt just like his closet in his room back home. He imagined that he could open the door and be in his room again. He would open it and walk out and the floor would have carpet, the walls would be white, the window would face the backyard and the light would be just the way he remembered.

Feeling calm and more at home, Eddie started to doze off, curled up in a ball in his closet.

Richie woke up feeling much better than he had all day. His parents weren’t home so he decided to go see what Stan was doing.

He knocked on the door, scaring Eddie awake. His room was above the front door. “Hi Mrs. Uris is Stan here?” Is that Richie Tozier? Eddie rubbed his eyes. He stood up and opened the closet door and winced because the light was too bright. He was disappointed to see the harsh light, the hardwood floor and the mess he made all over it. “He’s not but Eddie is here, want me to go get him?” Mrs. Uris said and Eddie groaned. “No, I can get him.” Richie said and Eddie’s mouth dropped.

He heard Mrs. Uris invite him in and Eddie swore under his breath before turning off the light. It was so bright and he couldn’t take it anymore. He heard the boy reach the top of the stairs. He turned around and started shoving things back into his backpack. “Eddie?” Richie called and opened the door that Eddie left cracked open. “It’s so dark in here.” Richie said and flipped the switch back on. “Don’t you know how to knock? And turn off that light!” Eddie yelled and shielded his eyes from the light.

“Sorry, are you okay?” Richie didn’t expect to find Eddie in his room trying to clean up a mess. He couldn’t help but to notice Eddie looked like he was crying, just like he had this morning. He noticed his hair was a mess, he looked like he had been sleeping. He noticed the closet door open with the blanket laying on the ground. “What? Yes. I’m fine. What do you want?” Eddie asked and finished putting his things into his bag and shoved it into the closet and closed it with a small thud.

“I was looking for Stan, do you know where he is?” Richie asked and Eddie shrugged and said “He went bird watching.”

“Oh he’s probably at the park. Do you want to come with me?” Richie asked, he thought it would be nice. “Uh…” Eddie mutteredand looked around the room. “Yeah, sure. I just need to take something for this migraine first.” He said and started looking for his pills. “Just drink a coffee, we can stop and get one on the way.” Richie shrugged and Eddie looked at him funny. “How did you know coffee helps migraines?” Eddie asked, surprised. “My mom gets them. Now come on so we can find Stan before the street lights go out.” Richie said started heading down the stairs. Eddie grabbed a jacket because it was starting to get cold outside. “Wait i have to get some money!” Eddie said, about to go back into the room. “I can pay for it.” Richie said and smiled at Eddie over his shoulder.

Eddie felt butterflies in his stomach and his heartbeat speeding up. His breath caught in his throat and and he stopped on the stair. “I forgot something.” He turned around and ran into the room. He grabbed his inhaler and i used it real quick. Breathing slow, he put the inhaler in his pocket and also grabbed his wallet.

“Okay i’m ready, let’s go.” Eddie said and ran down the stairs to catch up to Richie.


End file.
